Twenty Thoughts
by wisdoMMonkey
Summary: A series of twenty drabble-like stories based on given prompts. Similar to the 100 themes challenge, but in a more writer-friendly and less stressful format. Not sure what to write for a summary of drabbles such as these... Journey forth and enjoy! Rated 'T' for later chapters and unforeseen plot bunnies. Alvin and Simon will probably be the main focuses of most chapters.
1. First Born

"**TWENTY THOUGHTS"**

**WISDOMMONKEY**

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_~ Important Note: This is a creative writing challenge that I discovered while browsing along Google. That being said, the chapters will not tie into each other in any way other than being from the same show category. It's somewhat of a theme challenge, but isn't as confining as the normal 100 themes challenge you see floating about here. The rules, while still strict, are loose and more writer-friendly. Journey forth and enjoy! ~_

_(Theme description—__Describe a "first" (first apartment, first kiss, first time driving a car, first lie, first big success, first roller coaster ride, first time in this setting). Include as many details as possible, being sure to include an aspect relating to each of the five senses.)_

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**CHAPTER ONE**

_First Born_

* * *

"**Alvin! **Stop standing on your tippy-toes!" Theodore, the youngest of a family of triplet chipmunks, whined, a pitiful pout prominent on his fuzzy face. "I-it's cheating!"

He and his brothers were at the tender age of five, so Dave, their adoptive father, felt it was important to start tracking their childhood milestones. As a surprise gift to his growing boys, he designated one wall in the kitchen to be their height chart wall. Being so young and eager to grow up too fast, all three of the chipmunks were excited and fascinated by the new ritual. They would beg each night to be measured, leaving Dave to sometimes wonder if this had been such a smart idea after all. But, his chipmunks were happy, and that was all that matter.

"Is not!" Alvin, the more feisty of the group, snapped at his younger brother. He strained himself as he tried his hardest to stand directly on the tips of his toes, his shirt riding up and exposing his stomach. "Look, Dave! I'm, like, a gazillion feet taller!"

The raven-haired man couldn't help but get a chuckle out of his troublemaker's commentary, but he also couldn't ignore the teary-eyed face of his youngest.

"Now, Alvin," he sternly began, moving over to Alvin, pencil in hand. "Theodore's right. Standing on your tiptoes is cheating. Now, feet flat on the floor, please."

As Theodore's pout turned into a satisfied smile, Alvin's lip curled into a grimace. He crinkled his nose and huffily folded his arms across his chest, all while reluctantly obeying Dave's orders.

"But, it's not fair, Dave!" The youngster whimpered, stamping his foot against the wooden floor of their kitchen. He shoved his back against the wall and leaned upon it, his expression filled with attitude. "I _need_ to be taller!"

Another chuckled escaped the man as he placed a pencil mark in the proper area. He shook his head slightly and playfully rolled his eyes at Alvin's typical behavior.

"Well, I'm afraid you'll just have to wait. Don't worry, if you eat well and get lots of rest, you'll grow up to be a big, strong boy."

"Man," Alvin corrected in a mutter. For a five-year-old, he certainly didn't lack emphasis in detail. He sighed in a puff before stomping his way over to the couch, taking a seat next to the middle child of the family, Simon. Alvin looked at his younger-by-five-minutes brother with a snarl.

Simon, pushing his oversized glasses back onto the bridge of his nose, glanced dully to his older brother. He cleared his throat and began to speak.

"What?"

Alvin turned away with a 'hmmph!' sound leaving his lips, arms still firmly pressed against his chest.

"Nothing! I just don't like you!"

The three others in the room went wide-eyed before narrowing their eyes on the first born. Dave gasped in disbelief and confusion, wondering what triggered Alvin to snap in such a way. Sure, Simon and Alvin were the two that bickered the most, but it was mostly sticking their tongues out at each other or making goofy faces behind the other one's back. None of them had ever heard Alvin so bluntly insult anyone.

"Alvin!" Dave spoke in a warning voice, giving his son a disapproving look. "Why on Earth would you say something like that? Simon hasn't done anything to you."

"I just don't like him! Okay?!"

It was clear that the five-year-old tyke was getting antsy as he fidgeted in his seat, pounding his tiny hands against the couch cushions. His eyes were glazed over with frustrated tears, leaving the rest of the group in a state of disorder. Alvin had just went from being ecstatic about the height chart, to bawling his eyes out over an unknown reason to his family.

Noticing the crystal tears and sloppy sniffles, Dave decided to send the two younger boys up to bed.

"Simon, Theodore," he gently spoke, gesturing for them to head upstairs to their shared bedroom. "I'll measure you boys first thing in morning. Right now, I need to have a talk with Alvin."

"Okay, Dave," Simon and Theodore chimed in unison, slowly making their way up the stairs as they purposefully wanted to catch tidbits from the conversation. Was Alvin in trouble? Would he get his desserts taken away for a week? Would he get a spanking?

As these silent questions filled the curious tots' minds, they stood frozen on the staircase, absentmindedly watching through the railings. However, their father quickly caught on and playfully shooed them up the stairs.

"Boys, bed."

"Aw, nuts!" Theodore whispered as they continued their way up to their room. "Dave never lets us do anything fun."

"Oh well," Simon remarked, following close behind the other. "Come on, I'll read you 'The Three Little Pigs'."

The chipmunk in the green pajamas gasped and went bright-eyed.

"You can read?!" His voice was squeaky with shock.

The bespectacled boy nodded with a proud smile on his face.

"My teacher says that I'm a very fast learner."

* * *

_~ First Born ~_

* * *

Once Dave was sure Simon and Theodore were in their bedroom, he took a seat next to the sobbing Alvin. He placed a fatherly hand on his son's back, pulling the boy into his lap. Instinctively, Alvin buried his face in Dave's flannel night shirt, trying to wipe away the many tears that fell. Dave shushed him quietly, bouncing Alvin soothingly on his knee.

"You know what you said to your brother wasn't nice," the brunette informed, forcing eye contact between the two of them.

"Y-yeah," Alvin stuttered, his throat catching from the phlegm of crying. "But... but, he deserved it! It's not fair, Dave! It's really not fair!"

Another look of confusion.

Dave gave a breathy laugh, sounding almost nervous. He didn't want to make his eldest child more upset than he already was.

"What's not fair?"

"_He's_ not fair!" Alvin shouted, starting to wipe his nose on the sleeve of his red pajama shirt. Dave, however, quickly grabbed a tissue from the nearby table and wiped the youngster's nose. "He shouldn't be taller than me!"

The man gave another bemused look until the sentences made a successful connection in his mind. His mouth dropped a little as he let out an 'oh!'.

"I'm the oldest!" The chipmunk fumed, once again nuzzling his face into the nightshirt that smelled of body wash and the roast beef they had for dinner. "I'm the leader! But, Simon's _soooo _much taller than me! He does it on purpose, Dave! On purpose, I tell you!"

Dave gave a sympathetic look, wiping a tear away from Alvin's face with a clean tissue. He sighed lovingly, patted Alvin's back as he began to get tiny hiccups from the constant crying.

"Oh, Alvin. Simon can't help that he's taller than you. Everyone grows at their own speed; Simon just happens to be going through a little growth spurt, that's all."

"B-but, I'm older... Everybody thinks I'm his baby brother or something."

While his hiccups and crying were reduced to the pitiable mewls of an average child, he climbed off of his father's lap. His feet hit the floor with a thud, threatening to wake the boys that had already gone to bed (if they were even asleep, that is). He dried a few of the last spilled tears with his sleeve, this time managing to do so without Dave intervening.

Watching Alvin in this vulnerable state made Dave's heart falter a little. He hated to see any of his fellas hurting. Lately, he'd been dealing with the "boo-boo phase" of childhood, bandaging scrapes and bumps. But, dealing with a probable emotional meltdown left him pondering what to do. As soon as he finished questioning himself, a light bulb seemed to flicker on in his mind. He snapped his fingers as a great idea hatched.

The red-pajama-wearing tot looked over to the couch as he sensed his dad stand. He watched the man head toward the kitchen, wondering why Dave was thinking of food at a time like this. He began to grumble under his breath until Dave motioned him into the spacious kitchen.

"Alvin," the slender male tenderly spoke with a warm smile. "I'm going to give you something very important to me. You know, your grandma..."

The blue-eyed rodent gave an apprehensive look, not wanting to hear another boring story about his human-grandma. He thought these types of long, tedious stories were reserved to bore him and his brother's to sleep on nights when they were too rambunctious. A groan escaped him and he slumped into the kitchen, pulling himself into one of the chairs (that was much bigger than he was) at the table. Dave continued to ramble on about some silly antics his grandma used to do, but completely droned out the words by mentally singing nursery rhymes to himself.

Dave rummaged through the pantry for a few minutes longer, leaving Alvin to stew in his own tedium. With an 'aha!' and a slam of the pantry door, Dave moved to the table, a big shoebox in hand. He placed the tattered shoebox in the center of the polished oak-wood table, brushing the dust off the lid with the side of his hand. He and Alvin both gave irritated coughs as the dust bunnies tickled their throats. He removed the lid and set it aside, fumbling his fingers through a multitude of old photographs from his childhood until he came across his kindergarten picture.

"Did you know that I use to be a little guy when I was your age?"

He passed the photo across the surface of the table to Alvin, who skimmed over the photo to find the past-self of his dad. It took the toddler a minute, but he finally found a rather cheesy and unflattering photo of a five-year-old Dave.

He was shorter than every other kid in the photo. His dark hair was cut into a hideous bowl-cut style that – undoubtedly – his mother did herself. He was missing two front teeth in his clearly-forced smile. But, most importantly, _he was shorter than every other kid._

Alvin got a good laugh out of the dorky photo. His attitude, however, rapidly dipped as a realization dawned upon his young mind. He noticed a few other familiar faces in the photo; they were people that Dave still kept in touch with to this day.

"D-Dave? You're a lot taller and stronger than that guy there, now," he pointed out in a squeaky tone, a smile returning to his face. A glimmer of hope filled him as he looked over the picture for awhile longer. "This guy, too... And him... And her... Wow!"

"Yep!" The father verbally agreed, adding in a nod as well with a proud smile. "But, they were taller than me until third grade. They were all having their growth spurts when this photo was taken. There's nothing wrong with being a late-bloomer, you know? Just like I'm older than your uncle, but he's taller than I am. Trust me, when you get to be my age, that's a good thing."

The brunette gave a hearty chuckle, one that Alvin did not return. It was obvious that the thought of being as old as Dave wasn't even comprehensible to the young boy. In his eyes, Dave probably had a pet dinosaur when he was little.

"So...?" The first born child awkwardly began, not understanding what all the laughter was about. "You did say I could keep this, right?"

An affectionate grin appeared on Dave's face as he removed himself from his chair, fluffing Alvin's hair with his hand. He gave a gesture to agree, yawning preventing him from verbally answering. He stretched his arms deeply and walked back into the den.

"Yes, you can. Now, you should be going to bed. Like I said, you have to rest to get big and strong."

Alvin gave a hopeful beaming look, sliding out of the seat of the large chair and skipping to catch up with his dad. All the while, he had the photo firm within his grip.

* * *

_~ First Born ~_

* * *

Long after Dave had gone to bed, Alvin sat up in his bed, looking at the photograph by the dim beam of a flashlight. He still got a good laugh whenever he really looked at that funky hairdo Dave had way back then.

This photograph, though very simple, was probably the most special thing anyone had given him in his short life. He examined the photo as best he could by the narrow light. Viewing it made him think of the future, when he'd be a grown-up... or at least a second grader. He could already hear the sound of the whistle his P.E. Teacher would blare, letting him run and get all buff like the superheros in the movies. He could smell the inviting aromas of the school cafeteria, where he would do like Dave said and eat well. The thoughts of one day growing to be as tall as his adoptive father seemed so close that he could almost reach out and touch it... he could almost _taste _it.

And, no matter what anybody said, _he_ was the first born. And even though Simon was taller than he was, _he _was the boss.

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_~ For some reason the formatting of my chapters are near impossible to read. It seems very jumbled on the site. I'm unsure why. My apologies. ~ _


	2. Dilemmas, Dilemmas

"**TWENTY THOUGHTS"**

**WISDOMMONKEY**

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_~ Important Note: This is the second installment in my twenty challenge story. This chapter is not tied into the previous one in any means. In this chapter, the chipmunks are just hitting their teen years, each being aged at thirteen. I'm very happy to report that I got a lot of positive feedback on the first chapter. Seeing your reviews has really motivated me to really apply myself to this and give it the best shot that I can! It was a very pleasant surprise to log on to such lovely words! ~_

_(Theme description—__Choose a moral dilemma (for example, you see someone pocket several items at a CVS; you're in a car at night, with people you don't know well, and the driver hits a dog that ran into the road; you learn that a friend is having unprotected sex, etc.) and explain what you would do. More importantly, explain _**_why _**_you would do it. What do you know about yourself that accounts for such a decision?)_

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**CHAPTER TWO**

_Dilemmas, Dilemmas_

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**Simon** strolled along an aisle of books in the local mall. They were all so tempting, practically screaming "read me, Simon!" as he passed them. He ran his furry fingertips against their spines as he browsed, continuing on his way to the end of the aisle.

This was one of many of the thirteen-year-old chipmunk's favorite places. In fact, it ranked right up there with the library (which was Simon's home away from home). He felt like he could spend the rest of his life here, scoping through the many aisles and book bins. He was determined to remain in this happy place until his heart was content... or until the store closed, that is.

"Simon!"

Sadly, his hopes for sticking around the bookstore were cut short by the sound of his name being called from across the room. He turned his attention to the shout, noticing that it was his younger brother, Theodore.

"Oh," the bespectacled teenager happily chirped, shrugging off his disappointment. "Hello, Teddy. Where's Dave and Alvin?"

"They're just outside the store. They sent me in here to get you," the younger boy explained, as his stomach growled to explain what he was going to say next. "We're going to the food court; Dave said you had to come with us."

Simon smiled in understanding, heading out of the store without purchasing anything. He placed a hand on Theodore's back as they walked, making sure he wouldn't get distracted and wander off as he sometimes did. Dave and Alvin stood from the wooden bench that they sat on, waiting for the other two teens to exit the store.

"Okay, Fellas!" Dave cheerfully reported, beginning to head to the food court by following the map in his hands. His sons followed closely behind, not really paying much attention to the words their father was saying. "What are you in the mood for? I could go for some Chinese food, myself."

The triplets mumbled in unison, agreeing with the statement that they were only half listening to.

Alvin was more concerned about wanting to tour the new music store that had opened over the weekend. Theodore was just wanting to try the three new ice cream flavors the ice cream vendors in the mall were serving – all three of them at once. And, Simon was wanting to head back to the bookstore to purchase a novel that he hadn't read yet. Consumed in their thoughts, they absentmindedly followed Dave until they had reached the food court.

The four men stood in a moving line, sliding their trays along a metal bar as they walked. The women behind the counter happily served them and placed the food they had ordered onto the trays, pointing them to the register.

After Dave had paid for himself and his three kids, they sat at one of the few empty tables, ready to enjoy a family lunch.

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_~ Dilemmas, Dilemmas ~_

* * *

The lunch had past after half an hour or so, leaving the family to once again tour the mall.

"Uh... D-Dave?" Theodore, his jade eyes shining with innocence, asked with a sweet voice. He tapped on his father's arm to better gain his attention, pointing to a nearby poster. "It says there's a magic show being held in the magic shop. Can we go see it? Please?!"

"Oh, I don't know, Theo," Dave began with a skeptical tone, giving a slight glare to Alvin. "After last time, I don't think we should bring Alvin into another thing like that."

"Please, Dave?!"

The pout on the youngest teen's fluffy face melted Dave's heart, forcing him to reconsider the decision. He was still standing strong on the thought that Alvin would possibly get them banned from the mall all together, but he didn't want to disappoint Theodore because of _Alvin's_ mistakes.

"Aw, I don't want to go to any stinkin' magic show, anyway!" Alvin boasted, pushing himself between his dad and his younger brother. "Hey! Crazy idea... How about I go with Simon to that new music store while you and Teddy go see the show? I'm sure Simon won't mind... Right, Si?"

Alvin's tone of voice suggested that, even though he was asking, Simon didn't have a choice. The blue-sweater-wearing chipmunk sighed reluctantly, but decided to give in to his brother's wishes. He adjusted his glasses into their proper placement, moving to stand next to the boy with the red baseball cap.

"Alvin's right. You two go and have fun," Simon responded, gesturing to the poster. "Besides, I might find some interesting sheet music to study up on."

"Well, if you're sure."

"Dave, Dave, Dave," the eldest chipmunk chuckled coolly, patting the brunette man's shoulder as he stood on his tiptoes. "Everything will be fiiiine. You can trust me."

Dave gave the mischievous chipmunk a suspicious and sharp glare. With a heavy heave of air and Theodore tugging on his arm sleeve, the raven-haired man finally consented to the idea.

"Okay, I guess it would be alright," he huffed, his son dressed in the green sweater tugging him toward the magic shop. "Simon, keep an eye on him!"

"Naturally," Simon called back to fill the distance, turning to face Alvin.

The capped teen held an almost evil smirk on his face, wringing his hands together as he plotted. The only thing that removed this twisted grin was feeling his brother's hand heavily resting on his shoulder. He looked up to the taller adolescent, the smirk morphing into an innocent smile.

* * *

_~ Dilemmas, Dilemmas ~_

* * *

"Holy smokes!" Alvin squeakily cried, darting into the music store. "Look at all this stuff!"

The chipper thirteen-year-old scrambled back and forth across every corner of the store, finally calming himself enough to truly browse the items. While he plundered through the guitar picks, Simon was right on his heels. His brow heavily furrowed as he turned to face his brother, signaling his annoyance through a sour expression.

"Oh, don't mind me," Simon said, chortling from the enjoyment he got from his position of being in charge. "I'm simply doing what Dave said and keeping an eye on you."

"More like four eyes..." Alvin hurtfully grumbled under his breath, mocking the glasses on Simon's face.

He was preparing to rant about how Simon was cramping his "cool guy" style. That, of course, was before a glimmer of gold caught his eye. An over-dramatic gasp of glee escaped his throat as he darted to the source of the golden sheen. These sudden actions piqued the more-intelligent of the brothers' interest. He followed behind his older brother, who was still fumbling through a vast assortment of guitar picks until he found the one he had been searching for.

"Alvin, you have tons of guitar picks. Why are you so intrigued by this one?"

"Are you nuts?!" Alvin screeched, plucking the golden guitar pick from the bunch after moments of digging. "Look at it! Simon, do you know what this is?!"

Simon gave a bored glance to the guitar pick, straightening his glasses to better examine it from a distance. He squinted his eyes, trying to see anything special about the instrument's aide.

"No, no! Don't tell me! It's a guitar pick, right?" He sarcastically stated the obvious, smirking with satisfaction.

Alvin scoffed, sinking back to lean against Simon. He slumped his arm across the younger male's shoulders, holding the guitar pick in front of them. He admired it with hungry eyes, determined to claim it as his own.

"Simon! This is the golden guitar pick that that stupid birdbrains, Tommy Finkle, said I could never get! His dad bought him one for his birthday; they're so expensive that there's no _way_ any other kid could get one in a million years!"

"Tommy Finkle's dad is a millionaire, Alvin," Simon pointed out, leaning down to view the price tag on the shelf where the guitar pick was from. His baby-blue eyes grew to twice their normal size as the outrageous price was revealed. "Nine-hundred dollars for a little guitar pick like that?! That's outrageous!"

"I've gotta have it!" The troublemaker shouted to himself in a whisper.

Alvin watched as his brother observed the price tag, comparing them to the many others on other guitar picks. This gave him a chance to carefully pocket the guitar pick into the small pocket sewn to his sweater. He took great care in avoiding the security cameras and Simon as he performed this swift, illegal act.

"Oh, Alvin, let's just get out of here. We can't afford anything; these prices are way too high."

After a silent agreement, the two exited the store. Alvin chortled sneakily, relishing the fact that his younger brother was oblivious to his thievery ways.

* * *

_~ Dilemmas, Dilemmas ~_

* * *

"Ah," Dave sighed with contentment as he pushed open the front door of his home. "It's good to be home. Did you boys have fun today?"

"Sure did, Dave!" Theodore shouted, slurping some soda from the cup the magician gave to him. "I really liked how they gave us free popcorn and soda before the magic show!"

Dave laughed, patting his more-naive son on the head. He slipped his shoes off at the door before heading to rest in his recliner. He picked up the newspaper from a small table and scanned through the local news.

"How about you, Alvin?" Dave questioned, setting his newspaper aside for a moment. An unusual silence greeted him. "Alvin?... Allllvvviiiinnn?!"

"He went upstairs, Dave," Simon interrupted, hearing their bedroom door being slammed from upstairs. "I think he's a little upset. He found something at the music store that he really wanted, but it was far out of his price range."

The brunette father-figure gave a sympathetic gesture, once again turning to his newspaper.

"Gee, that's too bad. But, this could be a good lesson for him. You can't always get what you want in life."

* * *

_~ Dilemmas, Dilemmas ~_

* * *

That night, as two of the triplets prepared for bed, a sharp twang of a guitar pierced the air. The sound rudely interrupted the calmness of the night.

"That's weird," Teddy muttered through the toothpaste fluff in his mouth, spitting before continuing. "Alvin hasn't practiced his guitar in weeks. He was too upset to after Tommy made those mean jokes about him."

"Yes," Simon distrustfully droned, narrowing his eyes. He placed his glasses onto his face after thoroughly washing it. "I wonder why... Theodore, why don't you downstairs and see if Dave needs help cleaning the kitchen."

Theodore shrugged, naively heading downstairs.

After excusing his younger brother, Simon scurried to the bedroom that they all shared. He cautiously pushed the door open, not wanting to disrupt Alvin's practicing. Not that he was worried about the actual practicing, he was more concerned with testing the hypothesis that he feared. Upon entering the room, his fears were confirmed, causing his stomach to lurch.

"I knew it!" He strained, harshly pointing his finger at his shocked brother.

Alvin dropped his guitar onto his bed, tossing away the stolen pick. He knew he had already be caught, but he fully intended to lie his way through this quandary.

"Knew what?" He cooed with a sickeningly-sweet voice. "I mean, you're just _so_ smart. I bet you know a lot of things."

"Don't pull that innocent act with me, Alvin," Simon spat, pushing his finger into his brother's chest. "You _stole _that guitar pick! The only thing I don't understand is how you got passed the security sensors in the door."

"Oh, that's just a little trick I learned," Alvin obliviously stated, eyes bulging when he caught his mistakes. "Uh! I mean..."

"You've done this before?!" The taller teen raged. "Oh, you are unbelievable! Just wait until Dave hears about this."

"No! Y-you can't tell Dave!" Alvin pleaded, covering his sibling's mouth with his hand. "If he finds out, he'll never trust me again."

There was a slight struggle between the siblings before Simon managed to free himself from the grasp. He huffed heavily as he sat on his bed, patting the space next to him, gesturing for Alvin to sit. Reluctantly, he did.

"Fine, I won't tell Dave," Simon unwillingly replied, kicking himself for this decision. "On one condition."

"What condition?" The guitarist puffed, placing his chin in his hands.

"_You _tell Dave."

Panic crashed over the thirteen-year-old thief. His fuzzy face paled a little as he violently shook his head. What kind of "condition" was this? Weren't "conditions" supposed to help people out of jams?

"No way! _No way!_ He'll make me give back the guitar pick. J-just let me keep it until I can show it off at school. I wanna give that Tommy a taste of his own medicine!"

"No, Alvin!"

Alvin, guilt finally starting to nip at him, let his eyes fall on the floor the room. He sighed anxiously, his hair falling in front of his face.

"Look, I know what I did was stupid... but I just wanted to show it off a little. I would have taken it back to the store... _eventually_."

"Right. Just like you took the other things you stole back to the store?" Simon asked, only now noticing the many things around the room that Alvin must have stolen. How he hadn't noticed them before was a mystery, considering that most of them still had the anti-theft objects pinned to them. "You do realize you could get into a lot of trouble for this, and not just with Dave."

The red-pajama-wearing boy nodded, still not wanting to admit to his faults. He stood up from the bed, picking the gold-plated guitar pick up from the floor. He brushed off the dust and placed it onto the nightstand, staring at it with mixed feelings. The thing that he had desired for was now mocking him.

"Simon?"

"What?"

"Do you think I could go to jail for this?"

Simon removed his glasses, setting them on the nightstand as he settled into his bed. He looked at the blurred figure that was his older brother and sighed.

"Well," he started, that matter-of-fact tone he so often had filling his voice. "You're only thirteen, so I doubt they would send you to prison. But, they could put you in juvenile detention or give you some type of community service, considering this isn't your first offense and the item was pretty pricey. It really just depends on what is decided when you get caught. Or, you could just tell Dave and take the stuff back to the stores. They're usually understanding with that sort of thing."

Another somber nod. Maybe he should tell Dave?

Before the conversation to continue, Theodore had returned and Simon had already fallen to sleep. This left Alvin to lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling in the dark, trying to think of ways to break the news to Dave. He didn't know what he hated worse – himself or the thought of how Dave would handle the truth.

* * *

_~ Dilemmas, Dilemmas ~_

* * *

"I am very disappointed in you, Alvin," the chipmunk's adoptive father woefully said, pointing up the stairs. "Now, go to your room and think about what you've done."

"Yes, Dave." Alvin depressingly obeyed. He wasn't so much angry at Dave, but he was disappointed in himself. He began to make his way up to his room before looking down at his dad from the staircase. "By the way, I'm really sorry."

Dave simply shook his head, setting the empty box they had used to return many stolen items on the ground.

"Sometimes sorry just isn't enough, Alvin. Room, now."

The cap-wearing rodent entered his bedroom, his facial expression physically showing his letdown. Simon and Theodore quickly noticed this as their brother slumped over to his bed, falling face-first into his pillow. The two younger siblings exchanged a glance before Simon decided to speak.

"H-how did everything go?"

An unintelligible mutter.

"Is Dave mad at you?" Theodore, who had finally been informed of the situation, sweetly chimed in, sitting on the end of Alvin's bed. He, too, got an unintelligible mutter as a response.

The smarter of the three patted Theodore's shoulder gently, gesturing to the door.

"Teddy, you go check on Dave. I want to talk to Alvin."

"B-but -"

"Please?" Simon insisted sternly.

After an unwilling acceptance, Theodore trotted down the stairs to accompany his father in the den, leaving his older brothers alone. Once the room filled with tense silence, Simon sat next to his sulking relative. He placed a hand on Alvin's back, sharing a rare brotherly moment. The touch caused Alvin to perk up a little, titling his head to view his brother.

"Dave's really disappointed in me. He lectured me the entire time we were returning everything. I'm so stupid; I always get myself into these messes. Why is it always _me _that gets into trouble?"

"I thought you liked being the troublemaker?" Simon retorted with confusion, trying to do the impossible task of counting all the times Alvin had tested Dave's temper.

"I like getting attention, not getting in trouble," Alvin confessed, pulling the brim of his cap over his face. His eyes were somewhat glazing over with tears, but he refused to let Simon know that. "I don't think Dave will _ever_ stop being mad at me for this one."

"I'm sure he will."

"No, he won't. Not ever."

"Yes, he will."

"Nope."

"Yes, he will, Alvin!" Simon shouted, causing shock to shoot through the other teen. He tousled his hair a little, surprised that he had snapped in such a fashion.

He was instantly questioning himself on whether he should reveal such a secret about himself. He had never told anybody his dark secret; only he and Dave knew about it. He bit his lip anxiously, deeply thinking over the situation at hand. Finally, for the sake of his brother, Simon decided to make his confession.

"Alvin, I know Dave will forgive you for this... from experience."

Sniffling, the crying male looked at his brother with confusion. His posture changed as the mood took a turn from depressing to shocking.

"Y-you've stolen before? But, you got so mad at me for doing it!"

As a look of anger crossed Alvin's features, Simon raised a hand to him as if to say "don't get ahead of me".

"I've never stolen anything. B-but, there was a time that I really tested Dave's trust in me," the nervous teen stuttered, trying not to make eye contact. "Do you remember that party at Miss Miller's house a couple of months ago?"

"You mean the one where I stuck that frog in Brittnay's punch glass?"

Simon shamefully bowed his head, letting Alvin know that he had hit the nail on the head.

"W-well, while Dave was busy yelling at you, I got bored and decided to go outside for some air. Unfortunately, the only air I could get was filled with smoke," the glasses-bound teenager responded, cursing softly as he thought back to that night. "It was Brittnay's boyfriend. Heaven knows what she finds attractive in a guy like _that_."

"Pfft, she's just all gaga over older dudes," Alvin added, a hint of jealously lacing his remark. He hated that sixteen-year-old guy for many reasons, but saying that dating Brittany wasn't one of them would be a lie. After stewing in the jealous thoughts for a moment, his thoughts returned to him and a realization dawned hit him. "Wait a minute... you didn't smoke, did you?"

Simon once again shamefully dipped his head, covering his face with his hands. Even he couldn't come to terms with the spur of the moment party decision.

"I regret it now.. to be honest, I regretted then, too. But, I had been stressed that week, especially after losing the science fair to that charlatan, Betty-Sue. I just gave in when he asked me if I wanted a puff."

"Oh, yeah. I'd forgot about that," the older boy explained, remembering the night of the science fair. He was still trying to grasp the fact that Simon of all people would have succumbed to peer pressure. "How did Dave find out?"

"Well, after you got back to partying, I guess Dave needed some fresh air, too. He walked outside and caught me putting it out in one of Miss Miller's potted plants. Boy, was he ever mad!"

Alvin slid closer to Simon with interest, resembling a child being read a bedtime story. His eyes pressed the taller boy for more details.

"And?"

Simon sighed, not wanting to continue to expose his past.

"And... he stayed sore at me for a few days. He gave me the same look that he gave you this morning when you told him about the stealing. I thought he'd never forgive me for doing something so irresponsible, but he did. It took him some time, mind you."

"S-so, you really think he'll forget about this whole "my son's an underhanded thief" thing?"

"I know so."

The mood instantly lightened as the brothers shared an awkward moment of laughter. They both sat on the bed in silence for a minute, letting the confessions between them set in a bit. Eventually, Alvin broke the silence, standing up from the bed.

"Hey! How's about you, me, and Theo go get some ice cream? My treat."

Simon grinned swiftly. He, too, stood from the bed and followed Alvin out of the room.

"That depends. Are you going to _buy _the ice cream?"

"Only if you promise not to get cigarette ashes in it."

The two chipmunks shared another round of laughter as they exited their room in search for the youngest of their trio.

"It's a deal."

* * *

_~ I think I've overused the word 'nodded' and 'sighed' in this chapter; I need to work on that. Other than that, I'm actually quite fond of the plot. It came to me while I was talking to my good friend, Tiff. I asked her what she thought of the theme and her idea was brilliant. She reminded me of the time that we were at the mall and she stole a pair of earrings. She told me that it was my advice to her (after I found out that is) that convinced her to tell her mom and take them back to the store. Now that we're adults ourselves and she's a new mommy, she's thankful for the lesson she learned and hopes to pass it onto her daughter one day. Thanks for your input, Tiff. ~_


	3. Dropping Out is Hard to Do

"**TWENTY THOUGHTS"**

**WISDOMMONKEY**

* * *

_~ Important Note: Here is the third installment in my twenty challenge story. As with the last chapter, this one is not tied to the previous stories in this challenge. In this chapter, the chipmunks are seventeen years old and awaiting their high school graduations – all except for Alvin, that is. I have to thank you all once again for the encouraging feedback. I honestly didn't think that the story would receive much praise or recognition. It's been six years since I last wrote an "Alvin and the Chipmunks" fanfiction, so it's been wonderful returning to such great reviews. I have all of you to thank for that. Cheers! ~_

_(Theme description__ – __Describe the room of one of the following: a high school student about to drop out; a cashier who has just won the lottery; a faded movie star who still thinks she's famous; or a paranoid person.)_

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

_Dropping Out is Hard to Do_

* * *

"**I **can't do it!" Alvin screamed, slamming his bedroom door shut with tears in his eyes. He was frustrated with Dave for telling him repeatedly how important a high school education was. He was frustrated with Simon for springing surprise study sessions on him every waking hour of the day. He was frustrated with Theodore for trying to show him that math is fun by using cooking as an example. Most importantly, he was frustrated with himself. "Why don't any of them see that? And, why won't they just leave me alone?!"

The seventeen-year-old senior student pounded his fist on his bedroom door, trying to relive his wrath. The tears from his eyes were now fully flowing down his cheeks, staining his fur and pull-over sweater.

He heaved unsteady breaths as his frustration and anxiety began to consume him. Through blurred vision, he looked around his room, a small voice in the back of his mind whispering "tear this place apart, that will show them!".

Without any type of logical thinking, Alvin got to work on acting on his thoughts. He started with his door, putting his claws to use by scratching against the wood, making sure he left his mark. He continuously scratched, wanting to place his sour emotions into something else so _he_ wouldn't have to deal with them. Desperation was obvious as he gave a long and jagged scratch.

Once he was satisfied with the anguish he placed on the door, he smiled deliriously. A maniacal laugh escaped him as he went into a temporary state of insanity. He sloppily wiped away his pesky tears.

"Why stop there?!" He chuckled, looking for his next inanimate target. He spotted a poster on the wall of a band that had recently lost popularity. The smiling faces on the poster made Alvin sick as he scuttled over to it. He once again lashed out his claws, shredding into the glossy paper.

He tore the ripped poster from the wall, push pins flying to the floor. He crumpled it in his hands, mushing it until his sweat caused the ink to bleed and stain his fur. He threw the mess of paper to the floor, giving it a final blow, stamping his foot against one of the torn faces.

"What do you think, Mr. Boy-band? Do you think I can graduate?" Alvin chortled, kicking the paper across the floor. "Well, guess what?... I can't! No graduation for me! No, sir! Not Alvin Seville! He's too stupid!"

Tears had returned to his eyes as the last words were spoken. He felt trapped in a never-ending bipolar roller coaster. One minute he was high with rage, the next he hit rock bottom with depression.

He jumped onto his bed, shoving the covers onto the floor and yanking the sheets from the mattress. As the sheet was removed, his pillow was propelled across the room. After a harsh hit to the wall, it thudded onto the floor.

Alvin, still in an unexplainable state of emotion, approached the pillow. He looked down upon it, just as his teachers and family were looking down upon him. He tapped the edge of it with his foot before bending down to hover above it.

"Come on, you can get up and put yourself back on the bed... come on, little fella, you can do it," he whispered, sniffling back a few tears that fell and stained the object. "Oh wait, no you can't. Doesn't feel so great having somebody tell you can do something when you _know _you can't, does it?"

The irritated chipmunk roughly picked up the pillow, trying to rip it in half like the people in the movies. His attempts were futile. Perhaps movie magic was to blame for how easy they made it look on television? However, this didn't stop him from inflicting the pillow with less punishment than his door, poster, and bed. He brought out his trusty claws once more and sliced the pillow down the middle, cotton pouring out onto the floor. (Hey, nobody said Freddy Kruger would have any trouble ripping a pillow in half.)

After creating more havoc in his room, Alvin had finally reached his breaking point. He wrote a short letter and left it on his stripped bed before exiting through his bedroom window. He needed some time to think and he knew just where to do it.

* * *

_~ Dropping Out is Hard to Do ~_

* * *

"Alvin! Dinner's ready!" Dave called upstairs from the kitchen. He still held a face of worry. His oldest son had been in his room all day after hearing the news that he wasn't going to graduate. "Alvin! Dinner!"

"Here you go, Dave," Simon happily huffed, setting down two bags of heavy groceries onto the table. "I picked up the Parmesan cheese you wanted. I also took the liberty of buying something nice for Alvin. I heard he failed his classes."

"Why, that's very nice of you, Simon," the brunette worriedly responded, forcing a smile for the middle child. "Speaking of Alvin, could you go check on him for me? I called him down for dinner, but he didn't answer."

"Hmm... That's odd."

"I know," Dave responded with disbelief as he pulled the lasagna from the oven. He set it on the counter, carefully peeling the aluminum foil from the top. "It's not like him to not answer."

"Don't worry, Dave. I'm sure he's fine," the seventeen-year-old chipmunk reassured. "You know how Alvin is. He's probably just mad and refusing to talk to any of us. I'll go talk to him."

"Thanks, Simon," the father conveyed with a nervous smile.

Dave was so caught up with thoughts of how Alvin was handling the news, that the sudden sound of the phone made him jump. He inhaled deeply as he felt his heart skip a beat. He moved over to the telephone, removing it from the receiver.

"H-hello?"

"Oh, hello, David!" Miss Miller gleefully greeted, twirling the cord of her phone betwixt her fingers. "I was just calling to let you know that you can come and pick up Theodore now. He says he's not feeling so well... but I think he's just a little upset over the girls poking a little fun at him."

"Aw, that's a shame," Dave muttered, his mind obviously on other things. "I'll be right over."

"Are you alright, Deary?" The gray-haired woman inquired, the tone of her friend's voice piquing her interest. "You sound down about something."

"Oh, it's nothing, Miss Miller. I'll explain when I pick up Theodore. Goodbye now."

Before Miss Miller could say another word, Dave hung up his phone. He walked over to the coat rack and threw on his jacket.

"Simon! I have to go pick up Theodore from Miss Miller's! You and Alvin go ahead and fix your plates; I'll be back as soon as I can!"

"Okay! Don't worry, I've got everything under control!"

* * *

_~ Dropping Out is Hard to Do ~_

* * *

Once Dave had left the house, Simon continued his venture down the hall. He approached his older brother's bedroom door with caution. He had read many books on psychology and knew that he had to be very delicate with Alvin's feelings. He gently knocked on the door with his knuckles, hoping to receive some type of response. When silence was the only thing to greet him, he knocked again.

"A-Alvin?" Simon question, clearing his throat. He made sure his tone was firm before speaking again. "Alvin, I know you're feeling horrible about what happened today, but that is no reason to ignore your family."

More silence.

Simon was growing impatient, thinking his brother was just being his usual stubborn self.

"Okay, so you want to teach us a lesson by giving us the cold shoulder. I'll have you know that Dave is worried sick about you."

More silence.

Now, Simon was feeling his temper falter. He placed his hand on the knob of the door, pushing it open with flimsy force.

"Alright, Alvin. Why won't you let any of us help-" The chipmunk opened his eyes, his glasses slightly dirty. His eyes widened at the state of the room. "... you?"

He pulled his glasses off and wiped them on the hymn of his sweater. He wanted to be positive that what he was seeing was true. Once his sight was confirmed, his eyes darted about the room, taking in every detail. He carefully entered, noticing his brother was missing.

"A-Alvin? Alvin, are you in here?" Simon asked with panic, his voice quivering. He observed the walls. One was stained with splashes of black paint, another had a hole right in the center. A million thoughts whirled through his mind as he noticed the mess. What if his brother had been kidnapped? What if he was being tortured by some thugs? Or worse?

The bespectacled rodent examined the room, trying to keep his wits about him.

Alvin's precious guitar lay broken on the floor. The tomato-red curtains were torn at the seams. Crumpled posters, fluffs of cotton, and dribbles of black paint were scattered across the floor. The bed was unmade, comforter and sheets strewn on the floor.

It was getting dark as the sun began to set, causing Simon to draw his attention to the window. It was held open with a book, one stolen from his bedroom. Normally, he'd be cursing his brother for tampering with his things, but right now he couldn't care less about the book. He stumbled over the mess and leaned against the windowsill, a gust of wind pushing against his face.

In the stillness, he heard a small rustle. Theories of murder filling his mind, he jumped. He turned to the source of the sound, seeing a folded sheet of paper flapping open in the wind. Logic allowed him to know that the paper was the culprit.

"Please, don't be ransom note..." Simon prayed, flashbacks of crime shows filling his mind. He picked up the paper, opening the flap and reading its contents.

_Dear Everyone,_

_Stop trying to make me think I can do this! I've tired and I've tried, but I still failed. It's pointless to keep studying, I already know they won't let me graduate. I've decided there is only one thing I can do... dropout. I'm going to the school to sign the papers right now. Be home soon._

_Love, Alvin_

While relieved that his older sibling wasn't the victim of a vicious crime, Simon was shocked by the letter. He couldn't believe Alvin would even consider dropping out of school. True, the baseball-cap-wearing teen was never fond of school, but Alvin Seville was no quitter. He never had been.

Taking one last look at the trashed room, the seventeen-year-old fled, note in hand. He scurried down the stairs and headed into the kitchen, sprinting to the phone. He picked it up from the receiver and began to dial Miss Miller's number.

"Simon! I'm home!"

Just in time. Simon hung up the phone and frantically entered the living room. He waved the note in front of his father's face, causing Dave to be thrown into confusion.

"Dave, Alvin's gone!" Simon cried, causing his father and younger brother to become alarmed. He shoved the note into Dave's hands, trying to gather his thoughts. "His room is completely destroyed. He's going down to the school right now to sign the papers to dropout."

"But, he's worked so hard to graduate," the youngest of the triplets explained, alarmed and lost. "Why would he do that?"

"I'll explain later, Theodore. You fellas go get in the car," Dave sternly instructed, looking to the clock hanging above the fireplace. "The school's closed by now, so he must still be in the schoolyard. Will pick him up there."

With that being said, the two chipmunks and their frightened dad piled into the family's car. They pulled out of the driveway, beginning the frantic search for their runaway loved one.

* * *

_~ Dropping Out is Hard to Do ~_

* * *

"Rats!" Alvin shouted, trying to push the school's door open for the umpteenth time. "Why is it locked? The school doesn't close until -"

He glanced down to the watch on his wrist, realizing it was nearing six. The school closed at five.

"Oh... well, it doesn't matter. I'll just wait here until the principal gets back," the feisty boy explained to himself, sitting against the door. He folded his arms over his chest, preparing for the longest wait of his life. Suddenly, a thought came to mind. "No, wait. Tomorrow's Saturday... Ah! What's a guy gotta do to dropout of school around here?"

A blaring horn caught the moping chipmunk by surprise. He lifted his head to see blinding headlights shining at him. He stood from the ground, curiosity and fear fueling his motions.

The front door of the car flung open, a shadowed figure expelling from the car. Alvin backed against the door a little more, prepared to protect himself if needed to.

"Alvin?" A familiar voice inquired. "Alvin!"

The voice became filled with relief and happiness. The figure was now running toward him, two other shadows following behind. Before he had time to put up his arms in self-defense, Alvin was pulled into a bone-crushing hug. His eyes blinked as he was caught off-guard.

"D-Dave?"

"Oh, Alvin! Don't you ever run off like that again!" Dave cried, placing a hand on the back of his son's head. He cuddled the teenager, who looked away with embarrassment. "What were you thinking?"

Before he could answer, Alvin was surrounded by his brothers.

"Alvin! A-are you okay?" The green-eyed boy squeakily asked, placing a hand on his older brother's shoulder.

"You had us all worried, you know?" Simon informed, both eased and firm.

Alvin gave a pathetic nod, finally breaking free from his dad's hug. He took a moment to catch his breath, looking from one family member to the other.

"I'm sorry. I did say I would come back, though," he pointed out, referencing back to the note he had left behind. "I guess I wasn't thinking much about the time when I left."

"That doesn't matter now," Dave soothingly replied, smiling as if he'd never smiled in his life. "Let's get home, the lasagna is getting cold."

* * *

_~ Dropping Out is Hard to Do ~_

* * *

After dinner, the triplets headed upstairs to their bedrooms. Dave had let them separate into their own rooms when they were fifteen, thinking it was time they had their privacy. Unfortunately, privacy was the last thing Alvin would be getting that night... except for sleep, maybe.

Simon and Theodore followed the depressed future dropout into his bedroom, causing him to purse his lips.

"I can't take it anymore! Would you two _please_ stop following me?"

"Well, gee, Alvin," Teddy stammered, eyes broadening at the sight of the room. "We're just trying to help you."

"Theodore's right. We just want to help you. We can start by helping you clean your room," the intellectual of the group added, beginning to pick up a few push pins from the floor.

"Simon, stop..." Alvin grumbled, removing his signature cap and placing it on the post of his bed. "Don't you two get it? I don't want your help... I never have. I can do things for myself."

"But, we're brothers. That's what we do."

"I don't care, Theodore. Why can't you see that I can do it?!"

Theodore, still sensitive at seventeen, sniveled a little. He hadn't expected to be snapped at so harshly, especially when he was only trying to help. He folded his arms, trying not to get too upset.

"See what you did?" Simon snapped back, pointing to his younger brother. "You made Theodore cry."

"Well, he shouldn't be such a big baby! We're seventeen for acorn's sakes!"

With that, the crying teen left the room, trying to avoid getting into an argument. He knew that times like this were fuel for one of Simon and Alvin's famous fights. He slumped to his room, deciding to sleep through his sibling's controversy.

Simon glared at his brother, peering over his glasses as they fell to the tip of his nose. He held the same expression he usually did when he frowned upon Alvin's actions.

"Are you happy with yourself? All he wanted to do was help and you made him cry."

"What is it with you guys and all this help stuff? I already told you, I can do things for myself!"

Alvin's anger was boiling, threatening to burst. He turned away to face the window. He didn't even want to look at his brother at this point. His entire family had been looking down upon him and underestimating him since senior year began, and he was tired of it.

"Oh really?" Simon questioned with a weak smirk, folding his arms over his chest with attitude. "Is that why you've been moping around the house for weeks, yelling "I can't do it!" over and over again?"

"That's different!" Alvin barked, his face growing heated.

"Really? How so?" The taller of the two countered with a smug smirk. "You said you can do things for yourself. Surely that includes school... right?"

The fuming rodent sighed, finally accepting that the problem lied with him. He had been taking out his frustrations about school out on the people he cared about most. He readjusted himself on the bed, once again facing his little brother, but still refusing to make eye contact.

"Fine... you're right, okay?" Alvin reluctantly admitted. He finally forced himself to looked into Simon's eyes, not liking the expression behind them. "I guess I got a little crazy about the whole graduation thing. I just wanted to prove to you guys that I could make something of myself."

Upon hearing this, Simon's expression softened. He sat on the bed, resting a hand on the distraught male's back.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on," the eldest murmured. "It's obvious. You're the smart one, Dave already knows you'll have an amazing future whether you graduate or not. Theodore's the nicest, he always makes good grades because he doesn't act up in class. I'm just Alvin... the troublemaker. Dave has no hopes for me, and graduation was my one shot to show him that I can be just as important as you and Teddy."

"Alvin, you are just as important to me," Dave, who the boys hadn't noticed standing in the doorway, cooed. He entered the room, sitting on the opposite side of Alvin. He gently rested a hand on his son's knee, petting warmly. "Why didn't you tell me you were feeling this way? You know that you can tell me anything. All of you boys can."

"I think I'll get to bed," Simon intervened, attempting to excuse himself from the room. He felt that it would be best for Alvin and Dave to have a father-son talk without him. "I've been wanting to test my new invention that transfers dreams onto paper. The only way to find out is to get some sleep."

As the inventor left the room, Dave returned his attention to an emotional Alvin. He pulled his son into a hug, stroking the boy's hair in a fatherly fashion.

"I just wanted you to be proud of me," the chipmunk uttered into his adoptive father's nightshirt.

"I _am_ proud of you, Al."

The chipmunk scoffed, shaking his head.

"Why? All I ever do is get in your way."

"No, you don't!" Dave insisted, trying to console his first born. "Alvin, I love you. You're my son. When I took you and your brothers in, I made a vow to love and take care of you – a_ll _of you."

"Yeah, but _why_?" Alvin stressed, wanting answers.

"Well, you're talented, you're witty, you're smart. And those are just a few things. But, most importantly," the brunette informed, a calming grin on his face. He hugged his son a little tighter, hoping to prove his point. "You make me happy. I couldn't imagine my life without you... or Simon, or Theodore."

"R-really?" The teen sniffled, becoming convinced by Dave's words. He smiled softly, wiping away a few tears with his sleeve.

"Really," Dave confirmed, standing up from the bed. He ignored the mess of the room and instructed for Alvin to follow him. "Come on, you can bunk on the couch tonight. We'll all pitch in and clean your room tomorrow."

* * *

_~ Dropping Out is Hard to Do ~_

* * *

Dave fluffed a few pillows behind the groggy chipmunk's head. He smiled as he carefully sat on the edge of the coffee table.

"You comfy?"

Alvin nodded. He snuggled against the pillow a little, ignoring the fact that he was a teenager. Right now, he didn't care if he was eighty-two, he just wanted to be pampered like when he was little. He stared sleepily at his dad.

"Dave, I don't think I'll drop out of school."

"Good to hear, Al," the man said, a grin on his face. He pulled the covers up a bit more, making sure Alvin was as comfortable as possible.

"Simon was right, I can't do everything by myself. I was thinking that he could help me study for my GED."

"I think that's a great idea."

"And, I'll apologize to Theodore first thing in the morning."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate that," Dave chuckled, realizing the rambling pattern of his eldest son's voice. He knew that Alvin didn't want him to go just yet, but it was getting late. "Well, it's late. I think we both need to get some sleep. We all had a rough day."

The chipmunk in the red pajamas agreed with a hum, his eyes drifting shut. He turned onto his side, cuddling with the blanket.

Once he knew the boy was relaxed, Dave began to make his way upstairs. While the day had been stressful, he enjoyed the quality time he had gotten with Alvin. It was rare that they would share such a significant moment. It was nice to be reminded that he still had his knack for being a good dad.

"Dave..."

The man stopped on the staircase, looking to the couch below.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

An overwhelming smile appeared on Dave's tired face.

"I love you, too, Alvin. Sleep tight."

With that, the whole house fell silent. Everybody was sound asleep, everything was calm, and everyone was loved. Even though they had their rough moments, they were a family. A family willing to help each other—even when they didn't know they needed it.

* * *

_~ I feel I may have made Alvin a bit **too **crazy during his breakdown. I think I accidentally let my jitters about my own college graduation interfere with my writing. Oops. Other than that, I think the chapter meets the theme well enough. It trailed more into a story about family than a story about explaining the room, but I tried to work the room element in as best as I could. Hmm... it seems the challenging part of this "twenty-theme challenge" is starting to kick in. Until next time! ~ _


	4. Christmas Don't Be Late

"**TWENTY THOUGHTS"**

**WISDOMMONKEY**

* * *

_~ Important Note: Here is the fourth installment to "Twenty Thoughts". In this chapter, the chipmunks are around eight years old. I'm pleased to report that the past three chapters received lots of positive reviews! I admit, I wasn't too sure about "Dropping Out is Hard to Do", but I'm glad that you all felt it had reached its potential. I think this chapter will run a lot more smoothly, since the plot is a bit more suited to the chipmunks we know and love. Journey forth and enjoy! ~_

_(Theme description – __Describe a routine or holiday ritual, using first person.)_

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

_Christmas Don't Be Late_

* * *

"**Alvin?"** My teacher called, pointing to the paper in my hands. She smiled at me sweetly... yeah, she wants me. "Why don't you come up and tell the class what you did on your Christmas vacation?"

"Yes, ma'am!" I chirped, waltzing to the front of the class.

I know what you're thinking; When did you become the nerdy teacher's pet of the family?... well, I haven't. But, this project was just too good to pass up! What easier way to get an 'A' than writing about stuffing your face and singing Christmas carols? This was going to be a synch!

I cleared my throat in a very professional manner, swallowing the mint I'd been sucking on for the past hour. This was my moment to shine!

After the teacher gave me that "just get on with your report" glare, I began to read.

"My name is Alvin Seville. And, on my Christmas vacation..."

* * *

_~ Christmas Don't Be Late ~_

* * *

The sun had just started to rise, but I had been up for hours already. I tried to wake up Dave, but he just grumbled at me to go back to bed and fell asleep. How rude! Didn't he realize that this was Christmas? Hello! _Christmas!_

Simon and Theodore were pretty much the same way. Out of everyone, I was sure my own brothers would be excited for Christmas. It felt like I was the only one who even cared anymore. Then again, I had kept everyone up all night by practicing my carols... nah, I'm sure that didn't have anything to do with it.

Since no one wanted to get up, I decided it would be a good idea to go down and check the goods. Boy, was I ever excited! I sniffed around the Christmas tree, drooling over all the presents. I just wanted to tear into them right then... and, why not?

I had just got comfortable on the floor, pulling a huge box between my legs. I slid my finger underneath the bow, trying very hard not to break the ribbon. The last thing I needed was Dave to find out I had been opening gifts already.

"Heee, I wonder what it is! I hope it's that new leather jacket I asked for; those things are so _cool_!"

I was getting giddy by now, giving up on trying to be careful. I pressed my claws into the wrapping paper and began to tear.

"Ahem!"

… Busted.

"O-oh! Hi, Dave!"

Dave gave me that look he usually gave me when he caught me doing something I wasn't supposed to. I gave him one of my best rehearsed smiles, hoping he'd give me some slack. I mean, come on, it was Christmas after all! No such luck. I saw that weird vein shaped like a bull's head form on his forehead.

"Alvin," he sternly began, looking down at me. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

Wasn't it obvious? He did just catch me with my hand in the cookie jar... gee, Dave's not so sharp at six in the morning.

"Whatever do you mean?" I charmed, pushing the present back under the tree. I gently retied the ribbon, giving it a soft pat. "I was just putting this ribbon back on the present. It must have come undone in the middle of the night."

I could tell that Dave wasn't buying this. He continued to glare at me for a while, but he quickly got over it and smiled. I knew he couldn't resist this face. _Nobody _could resist this face.

Just as I thought he was going to let me open one of the presents early, Simon and Theodore came downstairs... leave it to Frick and Frack to ruin my fun. I guess my leather jacket would just have to wait.

* * *

_~ Christmas Don't Be Late ~_

* * *

After we all got dressed and put up a few more decorations, Dave made us go into the kitchen. He sat us down at the table and gave us a long lecture – mainly talking to me – about how we had to be on our best behavior. We were going to be having Miss Miller and the chipettes over for Christmas dinner, so Dave wanted to make sure we understood the rules. But, sometimes, I think Dave just liked to hear himself talk. All I'm saying is, do we really have to have the same lecture every year?

Finally the lecture ended. It felt like we had been sitting at the table for a hundred years before he let us leave.

"Okay, now that we've laid down the ground rules, let's get started on making dinner."

Dave gave us all special jobs to do. Simon was in charge of making the potato salad. Theodore was in charge of making the stuffing. And I had the most important job of all – buttering the turkey. No Christmas holiday was complete without a turkey.

I took the frozen bird into my arms, carrying it over to the counter. It reminded me of when I played football with the other kids at school, except Dave got mad when I threw the turkey on the floor for a touchdown.

"Well, at least it was in the packaging this time," he grumbled. I think he remembered the time when I dropped the fully-cooked turkey on the floor. We ended up having to eat frozen TV dinners that Christmas.

"Dave, stop worrying," I coolly told him, noticing that stress wrinkle on his face. "I can handle this."

"Dave!" Theodore called to our dad, probably wanting some help cutting the nuts for the stuffing.

I couldn't have been more happy when Dave left to help Teddy. Not only did it get his off my back, but it gave me some room to get creative. I tore the packaging off of the turkey and placed it on a big cooking tray. I felt like a real Picasso... you know? If Picasso had been a cook or something. I slathered the butter on the turkey with delicate hands, dashed pepper and salt beautifully across the top to form a moist and crunchy skin, sprinkled spices in an assortment of flavors and colors... gee, I really gotta stop falling asleep while watching the Food Network with Theo.

This was going to be the best Christmas dinner ever!

* * *

_~ Christmas Don't Be Late ~_

* * *

While we were waiting for the dinner to cook, Dave sent us boys outside to play. We all sat on the porch of our house, trying to think of something to do.

"How about tag?" Simon suggested.

Tag? Really? Yeah, because we all wanted to run around in the snow to catch each other. Would that even be possible in the marshmallow coats Dave made us wear?

"No, we did that yesterday," Theodore said.

Yeah, because that was the _only _problem with that idea.

We went back to being bored and staring at the snow on the ground. I got a little skeptical when I saw Simon was about to talk again. I could only imagine what he'd say next.

"Okay, so tag wasn't one of my better ideas." Could he read my mind? "How about-"

"We make a snowman!" Teddy squealed. I couldn't help but laugh at the face Simon made when he was interrupted. People should interrupt him more often. It's hilarious! "Let's go ask Dave if we care use the left over carrots for a nose."

So, we did.

* * *

_~ Christmas Don't Be Late ~_

* * *

While we were building our snowman, the chipettes and Miss Miller showed up at our house. Simon waddled to the door and opened it for the ladies. I know what you're thinking; Waddled? What? Is a penguin or something? Well, you try "walking" around in a Michelin Man jacket! We looked like a line of rainbow marshmallows!

Anyway, after we got changed into the fancy monkey-suits that Dave was making us wear, we all went downstairs to hang out with the chipettes. Dinner wasn't ready yet, so all six of us had to do something to entertain ourselves. We tried to play a board game together but that didn't work out so well. That _never _worked out so well.

Needless to say, Brittany and I were now in one of our famous fights. After awhile, we had completely forgotten what the fight was about, but we just kept fighting anyway. It was kinda stupid how she could keep going on and on like that... then again, I guess I'm just as guilty. But, hey, somebody's gotta be right!

"I _am _not!" Brittany screamed. That was always her argument when we fought – usually because I would say that she's wrong. She folded her arms as usual, letting me know that she meant business... but, really, it just let me know that she's still the snobby Brittany we all know and love.

"Yes, you are!" I screamed back, knowing that I was right about whatever we were fighting about. "You're always wrong about... well... about _everything_!"

"Well!" She huffed, stamping her feet. She spun on her foot and walked into the kitchen, which everyone was doing. "I guess I won't share my dessert with you after all. Too bad; I made a really great chocolate cake. Miss Miller didn't even help me."

I scoffed, but I really found it kinda funny. I decided to follow everyone into the kitchen, taking my place at the table. Holy nuts, did everything smell delicious!

* * *

_~ Christmas Don't Be Late ~_

* * *

Once the huge dinner was over, Miss Miller took the chipettes home. Aside from Brittany trying to start fights, Simon trying to be all smart, and Dave and Miss Miller yelling at me, it went over pretty smoothly. Oh, and I accidentally may have, kinda, sorta, hit Brittany... maybe.

Luckily, in the spirit of Christmas, Dave didn't send me to my room. It was about time they started seeing the Christmas spirit.

After seeing the girls off, Dave gathered us boys around the piano in the den. This was my favorite part of the holidays; Just me, Dave, Simon, and Theodore sitting around the piano and singing carols. We sang a few boring jingles like 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas', 'Frosty the Snowman', and 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'. Don't get me wrong, those songs are great; they just lack the chipmunk spunk. Finally, we got to my personal favorite song.

"Alright you chipmunks!" Dave said with a smile, dancing his fingers along the piano keys. "Ready to sing your song?"

"I'll say we are!"

"Yeah!"

"Let's sing it now!"

After a few more of our random outbursts, Dave called my name. He asked me if I was ready to sing, but I just smirked. I loved this part the most; it never failed to get Dave hot under the collar.

"Alvin?" He asked, his fingers slowing on the keys. I just sat there and stared at him, smirking. He knew what I was doing, and yet it never failed. "Alvin?... Alllvviiinn!"

"Okay!" I finally shouted with a chuckle. Now, do you see why it's my favorite part?

We started to sing the chorus of our song, but I trailed off into my own verse like I did every year.

"... Me, I want a hula hoop..."

"We can hardly stand the wait. Please Christmas, don't be late," all us chipmunks sang together.

* * *

_~ Christmas Don't Be Late ~_

* * *

"Alright, Fellas," Dave called to us after our song. He stood up from the piano bench and walked over to the tree. He sat on the floor with his legs crossed. I could feel my eyes light up at this.

"Presents! Yes! Finally! Leather jacket, here I come!" I shouted as loudly as I could. I saw Simon give me a dirty glare from how loud I was being, but what did he expect? I was getting presents! Who stays quiet when they're getting presents?

"Let's see... this one's for Theodore... and this one is for Simon... annnnnd..."

Dave laughed when he saw me reaching out for the present in his hands. The suspense was killing me!

"... here you go, Alvin."

When he handed me the present, I instantly started tearing the paper. I don't think I could have opened it faster if I was traveling at the speed of light. I tore off the lid and tossed it across the floor, doing the same with the ribbon.

"Wow! My leather jacket!"

Even though I had expected the jacket all along, it was still a surprise to get it. I was sure Dave would have gotten me something different since this jacket cost a pretty penny.

* * *

_~ Christmas Don't Be Late ~_

* * *

The day was finally over and us boys were being tucked into bed. Dave walked to each of our beds, giving us goodnight hugs and kisses. When he got to my bed, I could hear him laugh under his breath.

"Alvin, aren't you going to take that jacket off before you go to bed? It's going to be really uncomfortable."

"No way, Dave!" I defended, pulling my new jacket tighter around me. "I'm _never _taking this thing off!"

"Well," Dave said, placing a kiss to my forehead. "If you like it that much, I guess it wouldn't hurt to let you sleep in it... tonight."

He turned out our bedroom light and stepped outside, shutting our door behind him. We could all hear him humming Christmas music as he walked downstairs to clean up the mess from dinner. It was nice to fall asleep to a sound like that; it was the perfect way to end a perfect Christmas. I couldn't wait to do it again next year!

* * *

_~ Christmas Don't Be Late ~_

* * *

"That was very nice, Alvin," my teacher told me with a smile, the class applauding with her.

Happy that my report was over, I took my seat with a smile. I couldn't wait to go home and tell Dave how much everyone liked my report. Hearing that I actually did something good in school will make a great late-Christmas present for him.

* * *

_~ Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I've been at the hospital for a few days having some tests done. I checked out last night with a clean bill of health. It's suspected that I was just suffering from a really bad case of the flu. I'm still feeling a bit sluggish, but I think I'll be alright. A couple of pain tablets and plenty of soup should perk me right up again. ~_


End file.
